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ups recommendations please
- Thread starter robtonet
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I've been happy with the Cyperpower line, but it's hardly the only one out there. I've seen many UPS threads on MR over the years. Try searching the Forums.
What are you running?
How long do you want to keep it up?
How much are you prepared to spend?
What are you running?
How long do you want to keep it up?
How much are you prepared to spend?
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late 2013 imac mavricks-- keep it up long enough for it to shut down on its own if i am not here -5 minutes should do it.--like to get way with less than a hundred.--but it is not a money deal. this was 2000.00 deal so now is not the time to be penny wise and dollar foolish. thank you very much--i am not launching nukes just don't was to cause gremlins in the chips etc
OK. Shutting down on its own requires communication between the UPS and the iMac, so you'll want an "intelligent" one.
An iMac wants a UPS with "PFC," that is Power Factor Correction, and it likes a pure sine wave also.
I do see a Cyberpower CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD on Amazon, for $135. I have two of the 1500 VA models, and both have performed well -- one for 3 years, or maybe 4, and the other for 3.
I don't know the APC line well, but they are a first-tier UPS manufacturer and have a lot of models.
Again, have a look at some of the UPS threads here on MacRumors. I remember seeing a couple that were very informative and useful.
An iMac wants a UPS with "PFC," that is Power Factor Correction, and it likes a pure sine wave also.
I do see a Cyberpower CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD on Amazon, for $135. I have two of the 1500 VA models, and both have performed well -- one for 3 years, or maybe 4, and the other for 3.
I don't know the APC line well, but they are a first-tier UPS manufacturer and have a lot of models.
Again, have a look at some of the UPS threads here on MacRumors. I remember seeing a couple that were very informative and useful.
I am using an APC by Schneider Electric, 400VA.
A simple solution for my homme office with surge protection for both phone and network line included.
http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE400-FR&total_watts=200
A simple solution for my homme office with surge protection for both phone and network line included.
http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE400-FR&total_watts=200
Well I do not use a ups at my house, but I do use them at work. I work offshore as a Life Support Supervisor/Diver Medic for Commercial Saturation Diving. Basically we maintain atmospheric conditions and pressure through various analyzers, depth gauges, and other mechanical controls.
ALL.... yes ALL of our must have electronic equipment which we do not EVER want to turn off(since we would not be able to monitor atmospheric conditions in a confined space that people live in) run off of APC.
We have had generators fail and the power goes out but everything connected to the APCs stay working... and these are some serious power surges. When they parallel generators, swap them, or any thing happens these things do their job.
APC is the brand of choice for us, and they have yet to let us down. If I ever seriously consider a battery back up at the house it will be an APC.
http://www.apc.com/home/us/en/
It's true APC's are great UPS's but with the newer iMacs, its a good idea to get a pure sine wave UPS because the iMacs have a PFC Power Supply (Power Factor Corrected). The APC UPS's with pure sine wave tend to be more expensive which is why the Cyberpower UPS's tend to be a much better deal and work just fine.
thanks for all responses --however let me be specific
since i have none else to rely on.--if i go to best buy etc--they will tell you anything--i called and emailed apc--i know more about it than they do.--sounded like a kids working from a screen "q&a"----the thing is i want to speak with someone smarter than i am - and that doesn't take much-
i have a late 2013 iMac that i would like to have a short term battery back up and surge protection for-- i would like for the mac to close out and power down on its own in a few minutes (however long it takes to do that)assuming it would be unattended- i would guess ten minutes would be plenty --again, a guess?-and i think i need a usb connection to allow that to happen? correct?
pretty simple deal -will also have two external hdd's hooked on --i doubt that is a factor --so all i need is which model apc, cyberpower, etc model name, number, etc -500, 750, and so on?--
-thank you all very much as stated i have noone else to rely on. --youtube didn't do me much good- great information but i need a model number and name so i can buy one specific to my 27" iMac
. thank you all very much- rather a new apple core as maybe you can assume!
since i have none else to rely on.--if i go to best buy etc--they will tell you anything--i called and emailed apc--i know more about it than they do.--sounded like a kids working from a screen "q&a"----the thing is i want to speak with someone smarter than i am - and that doesn't take much-
i have a late 2013 iMac that i would like to have a short term battery back up and surge protection for-- i would like for the mac to close out and power down on its own in a few minutes (however long it takes to do that)assuming it would be unattended- i would guess ten minutes would be plenty --again, a guess?-and i think i need a usb connection to allow that to happen? correct?
pretty simple deal -will also have two external hdd's hooked on --i doubt that is a factor --so all i need is which model apc, cyberpower, etc model name, number, etc -500, 750, and so on?--
-thank you all very much as stated i have noone else to rely on. --youtube didn't do me much good- great information but i need a model number and name so i can buy one specific to my 27" iMac
. thank you all very much- rather a new apple core as maybe you can assume!
I use the APC 1500 UPS. I have a modem, router, external drive and iMac on the battery side. I have it set to power down when there is 25% battery or 15 minutes of power, whichever comes first. Yes, a simple USB cord connects the UPS to the Mac. You can adjust the shut down options under Energy Saver in Preferences once the UPS is connect. It is heavy. You can take comfort in the fact that Apple sells this unit for the Macs.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/H0880LL/A/apc-power-saving-battery-back-ups-uninterrupted-power-supply?fnode=b8cae44631b3c08f20d80418f3ce675dca6f399cb2557470ed628e3b377afb36f1d32e0ccfa81fc36a4e7a6308bee3d86c093010b1d2cf7777464466c75d55b4d6d7a9872368752b101a30f78461656e08fde0e273afe27d3fc59ebbb666cd9d92fd97bdc8b0e4c1277a124de490a162
http://store.apple.com/us/product/H0880LL/A/apc-power-saving-battery-back-ups-uninterrupted-power-supply?fnode=b8cae44631b3c08f20d80418f3ce675dca6f399cb2557470ed628e3b377afb36f1d32e0ccfa81fc36a4e7a6308bee3d86c093010b1d2cf7777464466c75d55b4d6d7a9872368752b101a30f78461656e08fde0e273afe27d3fc59ebbb666cd9d92fd97bdc8b0e4c1277a124de490a162
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Got this one and it works fine http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00429N18S?me=&ref=olp_product_details
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For reference, I just purchesed the cyberpower pure sine 850 model. I have my new 21.5 imac plugged into it. Have a few windows with email, youtube etc, the meter does not even register. Meaning it could take alot more.
After a full charge, I pulled the plug. In my guesstimate, I had about 20 minutes of use until the battery would have been at 0% I used it for at least 5 and I had about 75% bettery left.
Once charged to 100% I tested it again, but in sleep mode. I would say I had about 1.5 hours of battery.
The unit comes with a usb that syncs with your imac seamlessly. I have it set to shutdown after being powered by the battery for 5 minutes.
This computer is at my office so I likely wont be around to shut it down. I will make sure no open documents are unsaved before I leave. However I keep it in sleep mode and want it to be powered all the way off if im not around, which makes the option of doing it itself very useful. And if I am at the office I know I have more the enough time to close everything and power down.
After a full charge, I pulled the plug. In my guesstimate, I had about 20 minutes of use until the battery would have been at 0% I used it for at least 5 and I had about 75% bettery left.
Once charged to 100% I tested it again, but in sleep mode. I would say I had about 1.5 hours of battery.
The unit comes with a usb that syncs with your imac seamlessly. I have it set to shutdown after being powered by the battery for 5 minutes.
This computer is at my office so I likely wont be around to shut it down. I will make sure no open documents are unsaved before I leave. However I keep it in sleep mode and want it to be powered all the way off if im not around, which makes the option of doing it itself very useful. And if I am at the office I know I have more the enough time to close everything and power down.
I'm using the cyberpower PFC sinewave UPS because I was getting quite a few power surges. I haven't gotten one since I've gotten this, maybe my electronics were part of the problem causing the surges. But it does look good next to my desk :].
And the computer automatically recognized it so it will shut down as soon the power reserve drops under 25%, so that's cool too I guess. But this is all in theory, I've never had to use it.
And the computer automatically recognized it so it will shut down as soon the power reserve drops under 25%, so that's cool too I guess. But this is all in theory, I've never had to use it.